St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-30

A very interesting narrative illustrat-
ing the intense loyalty of Americans in
by-gone days is found in "Noah's Tray
els" published in 1919 NOW out Of print,
written in charming vein by the late
Mordecai NJ Noah, the leading New
York editor of his day and time.
This volume is 500-page chronicle OF
Major Noah's travels in England, France,
Spain and the Barbary States in the
years 1918, 1914 and 1915 pending our
war with Great Britain and the Algerines,
and is generally understood to have been
published by a native-born citizen of
the United States. Major Noah had been
appointed by President Madison consul
general of the United States for the
kingdom of Tunis, and was promoted to
the dignity of a special ambassador
charged with the responsible but delicate
mission of securing the release of a
number of unfortunate Americans then
held as captives and in abject slavery by
the Algerine authorities, and also to ascer
tain the object of the Algerines in de-
claring war against the United States,
their expectations in adjustment of the
difficulties, and generally to take charge
of American interests in the Mediter-
ranean.
Maj or Noah set sail from Charleston, S.
G., on the schooner Joel Barlow" a small
vessel of about 100 tons She was origi-
naly pierced for fourteen guns, but had
been converted into dieter of marque,"
carrying two nine-pounders and crew
of eighteen stalwart men. She was laden
with cotton and bore as additional pas
sengers French lady and her son, who
had run the English blockade into
Charleston with small venture of silks
and laces which had been bartered for
three bales of sea island cotton, and they
were on their return trip to France.
After having been out of port thirty
five days, in which period the Joel Bar
low had several narrow escapes from
capture by English cruisers when enter
ing the Bay of Biscay on the third day
of July, 1918, she was given chase and
captured by the British frigate "Briton,"
commanded by Sir Thomas Staines. The
captain, crew and passengers of the
"Joel Barlow" were taken prisoners and
conveyed on board the "Briton," then
attached to the squadron blockading the
French port of Rochefort and COM
manded by Rear Admiral Durham. 1t
will probably be recalled that Great
Britain was also at war with France and
that the English channel and neighbor-
ing waters were swarming with war
ships and privateers, English, French
and American.
So soon as the diplomatic character
and personal standing of Major Noah
were made known, the officers of the
''Briton" were extremely courteous, and
ON the morning of the Fourth of July an
invitation to breakfast was received from
Sir Thomas Staines. While he offered
no consolation, nor gave utteranCe to eX-
pressi0ns of regret, he nevertheless treated
his prisoner with much politeness and
civility. Sir Thomas appeared to be
about forty years of age, with frank,
manly cOuntenance, the interest of which
was somewhat heightened by his having
lost an arm in an engagement with a
French frigate in the Bay ofNaples. He
invited an inspection of his ship, but
upon the suggestion that there was little
disparity between the American and En-
glish frigates, he declared his vessel to be
inferior to the American frigates "Con-
stitution" and UNITED States" These,
Sir Thomas Staines thought, were heavier
mounted, carried more guns and Lad the
best and most select crews.
Describing his feelings on finding him
self prisoner on the Fourth of July on
board an enemy's ship, Major Noah
sass:
| did not forget that this was the Fourth of
July, day of jubilee in our country, when
every citizen gave loose rein to joy on its re-
turn, toasted the heroes of our independence
and united in a solemn convocation for the
preservation of our rights and liberties. 1t
was melancholy reflection to think on the
day and all its joys-the proud display of our
citizens in arms, the streaming banners, the
roar of artillery, the Jocund, smiling faces
contrasted with our situation on the deck of
a British frigate and so Immediately under
the protection Of its flag that we could not
escape.
A singular episode, however, is mar
rated probably without parallel in the his
tory of war, which should be commemo-
rated. 1t seems that Sir Thomas Staines
was aware that the Fourth of July, the
natal day of American independence,
was dear to every American heart, and
whether from hidden sympathy with the
American cause or by reason of the
"blood that is thicker than water" he
made the excuse to Major Noah that he
would dine with his officers and with
drew. "There is my cabin" said he;
"there is wine and there is music-make
yourselves at home" Accepting this
cordial invitation, the cabin was taken
possession of, and while substantially
prisoners of war, Major Noah and his
colleagues Of tile "Joel Barlow" cele-
brated the Fourth of July on board the
"Briton"
The band was ordered to play, ana
struck up several lively airs; bottles Of
wine were uncorked, and the American
prisoners drank bumpers to the day and
the prosperity of their arms. Sir Thomas
StaiDes had also ordered 'sstoop'' of
wine to be preached for the American
sailors, who were allowed to be seated
quietly ON the deck, and thus the anom-
alous spectacle was presented of a Fourth
of-July celebration permitted to prison
ers on the ship Of the very enemy from
whom we had won our independence, and
with whom we were then at war.
The next day Rear Admiral Durham
signaled to Sir Thomas Staines to send